Winner: Wild Salmon Reuben
Restaurant: Elliott’s Oyster House, Seattle
Sandwich Creator: Robert Spaulding
Inspiration: “I’ve always had a passion for pastrami, sauerkraut and salmon. I put the flavors together.”
Key Ingredients: Cured and smoked northwest salmon, apple and red cabbage sauerkraut, Swiss cheese, house Russian, thick-cut rye
Price: $17
Food Cost: $4.50
What the Judges Said: This year and last, folks entered a seafood-style Reuben, but none used fish this pristine and then applied a pastrami brine and rub before caressing it in light smoke. It has made all the difference. The salmon could live alone in this sandwich, but Spaulding pairs it with terrific house-made kraut and Russian. He’s going to get a high-five the next time we see him. It’s no wonder Zagat named the Wild Salmon Reuben one of “Seattle’s nine most spectacular sandwiches of 2014.”
Honorable Mentions:
• Grilled Halibut: Public House, Chicago
• Seared Ahi Tuna: Masterpiece Delicatessen, Denver
• Lucciopanino: Piccolo Sogno Due, Chicago
• The Bay on the Bun: Ocean Odyssey, Cambridge, MD
• Cornmeal-Dusted Oyster Slider: Blossom, Charleston, SC
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